Lang Lab
Principal Investigator: Matthew J. Lang
Institution: Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN)
Primary Subfield: Immunology
Recruitment Status: Inquire for rotation/fellowship opportunities
Research Focus
ABSTRACT – PROJECT 1 The αβ T lymphocyte ligand recognition process operates under nonequilibrium conditions, in contrast to that of B cells and secreted antibodies. Physical force tunes ligand recognition sensitivity and specificity mediated by αβT cell receptors (TCRs) during their immune surveillance to detect foreign peptides bound to major histocompatibility molecules (pMHC) on diseased cells. Mechanistic elucidation requires deep understanding of single molecule biophysics and structural biology in concert with T lymphocyte biology. The strategy of Project 1 is to pair single molecule and single cell measurements using optical tweezers (OT) in Aim 1 with functional biological impact in Aim 2. We utilize a portfolio of influenza A virus (IAV)-specific CD8 clonotypes specific for pMHC at abundant, intermediate and sparse array on antigen presenting cells (APCs). Our focus is on quality of T cell performance in lymph node (LN) as well as lung along with characterization of primary and secondary memory TCR features. Spatial transcriptomics in lung will assess single cell transcriptomes and paired TCR sequencing, allowing TCR function in compliant and stiff tissue niches to be re…
Active NIH Awards
- 5P01AI143565-07: Ligand-Dependent [alpha][beta]TCR Function (2026)
- 2P01AI143565-06: Ligand-Dependent [alpha][beta]TCR Function (2025)
- 5P01AI143565-05: Mechanobiology of [alpha][beta]TCRs (2024)
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